Fountain comb and brush



vMarel 18, 194k c. M. HLCKEY FOUNTAIN 60MB AND BRUSH Filed April l1.; 11940 ruil.

I'NVENTOR. CMR/.E5 M H/c/rfy www* ATTORNEY` Patented Mar. 18, 1941 v y UNITED STATES FOUNTAIN MB AND BRUSH Charles M. Hickey, Iilew` York, N. Y.

Application April 11, 1940, Serial No. 329,023 claims. (ci. 132-13) OFFICE This invention relates to fountain combs, Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view brushes or the like and refers more particularly taken approximately on the line 3*--3 of Fig. 2. to means for forcibly feeding a liquid to the Fig. 4. is a similar view taken on line 4*--4 of teeth or bristles thereof, and the same is an im- Fig. 2.

5` provement on my co-pending application, Serial Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View similar 5 No. 284,743. to Fig. 1 and illustrating the comb provided with The invention comprehends improved pump absorptive means for retaining the liquid dismeans for forcibly feeding a liquid to the teeth charged through the ports. of a combl or to the bristles of a brush or the Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional l0v like and which pump means is so constructed view taken approximately on the line 6-5 of 10 and arranged as to prevent leakage of the liquid Fig. 5.

where the pump manipulating means protrudes Fig. 7 is. a transverse sectional view taken apthrough the comb or brush. proximately on the line `li'-'l of Fig. 5.

The invention further embodies in a device Fig. 8 is a side view of a brush constructed in of the indicated character, a reservoir for holdaccordance with the invention. 15 ing a supply of liquid, a disch-arge chamber hav- Referring to the drawing by characters cf ing ports through which the liquid is discharged, reference, the comb illustrated in Figs.` 1 to 7 ina piston mounted for longitudinal reciprocatory elusive, includes an elongated hollow body lil movement within the device for pumping the provided with a row of teeth II extending` from liquid from the reservoir and forcing the same one end thereof to approximately the middle 20 into the discharge chamber and through the portion thereof and which comb portion of the discharge ports, means protruding through the body is of reduced Width and of substantially Wall of the device for manipulating the piston, rectangular shape in cross section, while the and means engaging about the piston Iat spaced forward portion l2 thereof is enlarged and of points thereon to provide a seal for preventing generally ovate form in cross section to serve 25 leakage of the liquid about the manipulating as ahandle. means. The body lll is provided with a transverse web The invention further embodies a pump extending from the end wall i4 to approximately cylinder communicating with the reservoir, a the middle of the handle portion l2 and which piston having a passageway extending longiweb includes a portion l5 coextensive with the 30 tudinally therethroughand mounted for longi-f row of teeth Il and forming with the bottom tudinal reciprocatory movement with its forward wall of the comb portion of the body a liquid end disposed in said pump cylinder, valves norpassage I6 having longitudinal spaced ports I1 mally closing the inlets to said pump cylinder opening between adjacent pairs of comb teeth and passageway, a guide for said piston and and defining a liquid outlet manifold. The said 35 flexible resilient means sealed about said piston web also includes a forwardly extending arcuate at spaced points thereof yand at the opposite ends portion I8 which forms with the bottom Wall of of said guide for preventing leakage of the y the handle portion l2 adjacent the row of teeth liquid from the reservoir and discharge chamber Il, a discharge chamber I9 communicating With through the guide openings for the pump the outlet passage iii.` The said web further in- 40 manipulating elements. cludes a forward arcuate portion Zll providing With the foregoing and other objects in view, with the bottom Wall of the handle portion IZ reference is now made to the-following specicaa bore 2| which communicates with and is distion and accompanying drawing in which there posed in alignment With the discharge Chamis illustrated the preferred embodiment of the `ber I9. The bodf,r Il) is also provided with a 4.5

inventiontransverse web 22 which is spaced forwardly of In thedrawing: the web portion 20 and forms with the bottom Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a wall of the body of the comb a bore 23 which is comb constructed in accordance With the invenopen at its opposite ends and aligns with the tion and illustrating the pumping means in side bore El. 50 elevation with the piston at one end of its stroke. Fitted within the bore 23 and coextensive Fig. 2` is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal therewith is a tubular member or pump cylinder sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, 24 having a valve casing 25 secured within its illustrating thepiston at the opposite end of its forward end and which valve casing is provided stroke. with an axial bore 26 having a reduced inlet 21 55 and a valve seat 28 for a ball valve element 29. The valve element 29 is normally retained in closed position on the seat 28 by a coiled expansion spring 3|) positioned in the bore 26 between the ball valve element and the inturned outer end 3| of the casing 25.

The upper portion of the body of the comb forms a reservoir 33 for holding a supply of liquid and in order to provide means for forcibly feeding the liquid to the teeth of the comb, a piston, indicated generally by the reference character 34, is provided which includes a piston head 35 mounted for longitudinal reciprocatory movement in the pump cylinder 24 and Which is secured to the forward end of a tubular stem 36 extending axially through the bore 2| and protruding into the discharge chamber I9. The piston head 35 is provided with an axial bore 3l which aligns with the bore 36' of the stein 36 and which bores from a longitudinal passage- Way through the piston, the head 35 thereof being formed with a reduced inlet 38 and a seat 33 for a ball valve element 43 which is normally urged to close the inlet 38 and said passageway by means of a coiled expansion spring 4| positioned between the ball valve 40 and the inner end of the tubular stem 36.

T'he piston 34 is tensioned by a coiled expansion spring 42 which normally urges the piston towards the forward end of its stroke. The spring 42 is disposed within a tubular element 43 in surrounding relation to the stem 36 between the inturned outer end 44 of the tubular element 43 and a collar 45 secured to the stem 36 and slidably tted within the tubular element 43. The tubular element 43 is secured within the bore 2| and provides a hollow cylindrical or tubular guide for the piston 34. The collar 45 is provided with a pair of outwardly projecting manipulating studs 46 which protrude through aligned longitudinally extending slots 41 and 48 in the tubular element or guide 43 and the side wall of the body ||J either or both of which studs may be used to actuate the piston.

In order to prevent leakage of the liquid from the reservoir 33 and the discharge chamber I6 through the slots 4`| and 48, a pair of oppositely flared flexible sleeves 49 and 56 are provided which have their adjacent enlarged ends secured as at 5| and 52 respectively in surrounding sealing relation on the opposite ends of the tubular element or guide 43 and between the same and the web portion 2|] and the outer wall of the comb defining the bore 2|. The outer reduced ends of the sleeves 49 and 56 are secured as at 53 and 54 in surrounding sealing relation upon the stem 36 at the outer end thereof and at the rear of the piston head 35 respectively.

The forward end of the handle portion |2 is provided with a threaded filling opening 56 which is closed by a screw plug 51 having an air inlet opening 58 extending therethrough for admitting air tothe reservoir 33 vas the liquid is pumped therefrom, The air inlet 58 is closed by a conical valve 59 normally urged into closing relation with the valve seat 6|) by means of a coiled expansion spring 6| positioned between the inner end of the valve 59 and the inturned inner end 62 of the screw plug 5l. The valve 59 is provided with a push rod 63 protruding through the outer end of the inlet 58 for manually opening the valve for admitting air to the reservoir 33.

When the liquid fed by the pump to the row of teeth is of a nature that the same will stain, the row of teeth at the base thereof is provided with an aligned opening 65 in which is positioned an elongated strip 66 of felt arranged adjacent to the discharge ports l1 for receiving and absorbing the liquid as the same is discharged therefrom. The strip 66 is secured in position by means of a wire bail 61 engaging on opposite sides of the felt strip and secured at its inner end in a recess 68 and having its opposite free ends secured in a plug 69 threadedly engaging the opening 'I6 at the rear of the comb.

In operation the liquid is pumped from the reservoir 33 to the comb teeth through the ports by actuating' the pump through the medium of the manipulating heads to reciprocate the piston 34 longitudinally of the bore 2|. As the piston is moved to the left, the ball valve 29 is unseated so as to draw the liquid through the inlet 2l into the pump chamber 23 during which movement the ball Valve 40 is seated to close the inlet 38 and the passageway through the stem 36. The liquid drawn into the pump cylinder 23 is then forced through the passageway in the stem 36 by movement of the piston 34 in the opposite direction or to the right. This completes a cycle of movement of the piston where relatively few actuations or reciprocations of the piston are sucient to supply the required quantity of the liquid to the teeth. When the piston is moved to theleft, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the flexible sleeve 49 is longitudinally contracted as illustrated in said figure and the flexible sleeve 50 is longitudinally extended, as illustrated thereon. When the piston is moved in the opposite direction, the iiexible sleeve 49 will be longitudinally extended and the flexible sleeve 50 will be longitudinally contracted as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The invention, as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 'l inclusive, is shown in its application to a comb but it is to be understood that the invention is applicable to brushes such as hair brushes, tooth brushes and the like as illustrated in Fig. 8. In this form of the invention, the body 'I5 is ofhollow construction and is similar to the body ||l illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, and includes a pump mechanism 'i6 similar in all respects to the pump mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 and as described in connection with Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive. Leading from the discharge chamber is a liquid outlet passage 18 similar to the passageway I6 and from which outlet passage 18 longitudinally spaced discharge ports '|9 are provided which open to the bristles and which bristles form the applicator elements for applying liquid to the hair or teeth, similarly to the teeth in the -comb illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 inelusive.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the character described, a hollow body, applicator elements projecting outwardly along one portion thereof, the interior of said body forming a reservoir for holding a supply of liquid, means within said body defining a liquid discharge chamber and a manifold outlet passage to the applicator elements, a pump cylinder having an inlet communicating with said reservoir, a hollow cylindrical guide disposed intermediate the discharge chamber and said pump cylinder, a reciprocatory piston having a longitudinal passageway therethrough and disposed intermediate its ends within said cylindrical guide with its forward end projecting into said pump cylinder and its opposite end communieating with said discharge chamber, valves normally closing the inlets to said pump cylinder and said passageway through the piston respectively, said cylindrical guide and said body having longitudinally extending registering openings through the walls thereof, a manipulating means connected to said piston and protruding through said openings for manually actuating the piston, and flexible sleeves sealed about said piston at spaced points thereon and at the opposite ends of said guide for preventing leakage of the liquid through the said longitudinal opening in the wall of the body.

2. In a device of the class described, a hollow body, applicator elements projecting outwardly along one portion thereof, the interior of said body forming a reservoir for holding a supply of liquid and having ports open to the applicator elements, a reciprocatory piston for forcibly feeding the liquid from the reservoir through the said ports to the applicator elements, a tubular guide surrounding said piston intermediate its ends, said guide and said body having longitudinally extending registering openings through the walls thereof, a manipulating means connected With said piston to move therewith and protruding through said openings for manually actuating the piston, and flexible sleeves sealed about said piston at spaced points thereon and at the opposite ends of said guide for preventing leakage of the liquid through said longitudinal opening in the Wall of the body.

3. In a fountain comb, a reciprocatory piston for pumping a liquid to the teeth of the comb, a tubular guide within said comb surrounding said piston intermediate its ends, a manipulating means connected with said piston to move therewith and protruding through a wall of the comb, and flexible means sealed about said piston at spaced points thereon and at the opposite ends of said guide for preventing leakage of the liquid through the wall of thecomb about the manipulating means.

4. In a fountain comb, a hollow body, a row of teeth projecting outwardly along one portion thereof, the interior of said body forming a reservoir for holding a supply of liquid, means within said comb dening a liquid discharge chamber and an outlet passage having ports opening to the teeth of said row, a reciprocatory piston for pumping a liquid from said reservoir to the discharge chamber and through the said ports, absorptive means carried by the teeth of said row and disposed adjacent to said ports for receiving and absorbing the liquid discharged therethrough, a tubular guide within said comb surrounding sald piston intermediate its ends, a manipulating means connected with said piston to move therewith and protruding through a Wall of the comb, and flexible sleeves sealed about said piston at spaced points thereon and at the opposite ends of said guide for preventing leakage of the liquid through the wall of the comb about the manipulating means.

5. In a fountain comb, a reciprocatory piston for pumping a liquid to the teeth of the comb, a tubular guide Within said comb surrounding said piston intermediate its ends, a manipulating means connected with said piston to move therewith and protruding through the Wall of the comb, and oppositely flared flexible sleeves having their enlarged ends secured respectively in surrounding sealing relation on the opposite ends of the tubular guide and their reduced ends secured respectively in surrounding sealing relation upon the piston at the free end thereof and at the rear of the piston head for preventing leakage of the liquid through the Wall of the comb about the 'manipulating means.

CHARLES M. HICKEY. 

